Part of International Day of Action

Vigil Held for Guantanamo Prisoners

By Jill Kuraitis, 1-11-07

Organizers of a two-hour vigil on the Statehouse steps, protesting the conditions at the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, say this is a replica of Guantanamo prison cages, and the "prisoners" are dressed and hooded as real Guantanamo prisoners.





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Have any of these protesters been to Gitmo? If not, what is their source of propaganda?

I ask because there's an interesting story in today's (1/16) New York Post. It's titled "Gitmo's Good Work," and written by Gordon Cicullu, a retired military man who's visited Gitmo 5 times over the last 5 years. (Cicullu may be spinning, but I'm thinkin' the orange jumpsuits, chains and hoods seem pretty unlikely for the vast majority of detainees.)

He says the current facility is modeled after a "Michigan county prison." He says that only about 350 of the original 800 detainees remain; the reset have been sent home or released.

The 350 who continue to be detained? The author says, "Gitmo keeps behind bars bad guys who would inflict terrible pain on America and our friends. From these same men, it gets vital information that has had and continues to have a major positive effect on prosecution of the war - information that has broken up operative cells in America and Europe, stifled recruiting, intercepted money trails and set the terrorists back on their heels." Interesting to note - the detainees are NOT tortured for information-gathering, but rather treated civilly by captors who have established a rapport with them. (One lady bakes 'em chocolate chip cookies.)

Story: http://www.nypost.com/seven/01162007/postopinion/opedcolumnists/gitmos_good_work_opedcolumnists_gordon_cucullu.htm?page=0